Minister Warns Opposition’s Nuclear Plan Could Lead to Nearly 50% Electricity Shortage by 2035

Criticizing the energy policies of the Liberal-National Coalition, Energy Minister Chris Bowen predicts a 49 percent electricity supply shortfall by 2035.

In an opinion piece, Bowen expresses concerns about the opposition’s proposed shift to nuclear power and a pause on new renewable investments.

Highlighting the complex decision-making process in Australia’s electricity grid, Bowen argues that the Coalition’s plans, including defunding transmission infrastructure and halting renewable energy investments, will destabilize the grid and increase the risk of power shortages for Australians.

Bowen points out that even a small gap of 0.002 percent between supply and demand could pose a risk, as set by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO).

Although there have been no breaches yet, Bowen notes that climate skeptics have used these warnings to criticize the government’s renewable energy transition.

Set to coincide with Dutton’s forthcoming speech on his nuclear plans, Bowen’s piece precedes the event where Dutton will present “A nuclear-powered Australia—could it work?” on Sept. 23.

Dutton is optimistic about his nuclear ambitions, aiming to construct seven nuclear plants on the sites of existing coal plants to generate approximately 11 gigawatts of power by 2037, including two small modular reactors and five large-scale plants.

While Dutton advocates for nuclear power as a necessary baseload source, Bowen argues that nuclear energy will not meet immediate energy requirements in Australia.

According to Bowen, nuclear power implementation would only cover about 4 percent of Australia’s energy needs by 2050, with electricity generation delayed until after three parliamentary terms.

In contrast, Bowen supports the government’s plan to introduce 25GW of small-scale renewables and 60GW of large-scale renewables by 2035 to address the nation’s increasing electricity demand.